Orlando Pirates assistant coach Sergio Almenara is expecting a difficult clash when they visit Swallows FC at Dobsonville Stadium on Friday.
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With nine more games to go to the end of the season, Almenara says this stage of the season is very hard for teams since every club is fighting for either the championship title, a place in the top eight or to get out of the relegation zone.
Pirates head into their clash with Swallows looking for three points after losing their last match against Kaizer Chiefs last weekend, a game the Sea Robbers assistant says they have been trying to forget all week.
“It’s been a long week with a number (a lot) of training (sessions),but we are trying to forget the derby and focus on the next game which is what we do every week,” said the Pirates assistant coach.
“Two weeks ago I said all the games in the last phase of the season are difficult because everyone is fighting for something. So, we are expecting that they will be fighting for the ball from the first minute to the last minute. We are expecting a tough game, but we are expecting and hoping that we are facing the game with a guarantee (of three points).”
The Buccaneers will be without the services of captain Innocent Maela, who got a red card in their game against Amakhosi, when they meet the Dube Birds. Maela is suspended after being sent off during the match against Chiefs.
Pirates, however, will be boosted with the return of head coach Jose Riveiro, who was out on a two match after being sent-off in Bucs’ Nedbank Cup tie against All Stars FC two weeks ago.
Riveiro missed the game against Maritzburg United, which Bucs won 2-1, as well as the Soweto derby against Amakhosi.
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With Riveiro back on the bench, the Bucs coach will have to readjust his back-line in the absence of Maela, but he is likely to put Olisa Ndah in his place despite the Nigerian scoring an own-goal during the Chiefs clash.
Pirates head into this tie against Swallows in third place with 31 points, while the Birds are on a mission to escape the relegation-zone and they are currently in 14th spot with 24 points.
